American and NATO forces have cast a no-fly zone over Libyan airspace to support beleaguered rebels and, more importantly, prevent a humanitarian crisis. As the uprising in Libya escalates into all-out war between rebel forces and Gaddafi’s loyalist military, I am crossing my fingers, as I am sure the rebels are as well, for getting American boots on the ground and a full commitment to our new war.
As the battle-hardened American war machine shifts gears and expands its reach, it appears that the “limited operation and narrow in scope focused on supporting the United Nations Security Council resolution,” as the Joint Chief of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen took to calling the U.S. “operation” in Libya on Meet the Press will continue to escalate as American support for another ground war stagnates.
Even though the U.S. and NATO forces have set up a no-fly zone at the request of the Libyan rebels, it seems that having the best bombs, plans, intelligence and personnel soaring through the sky is useless when the ground forces are scattered with no clear leadership. Many of the rebels have limited to no experience with weapons and there have been documented cases of ‘misfires.’ One particular case stands out where a rebel soldier fired a rocket propelled grenade backwards into his fellow soldiers.
As U.S. planes continue to rain millions of dollars worth of missiles to neutralize radar stations and tanks while providing close air support for the rebels, ground forces continue to get pushed back by Gaddafi’s infantry.
Merely setting up a no-fly zone and hoping for the best is not the way the U.S. wages war. We need to commit. We need to send in Marines that are already on Navy ships in the Mediterranean. Marines were in Tripoli 200 hundred years ago during the Barbary Wars. The Navy set up the equivalent of the modern day no fly zone off the coast of Libya, a Naval Blockade. Eventually, the Marines and a contingent of mercenaries marched into Tripoli and captured the city.
Setting up a no-fly zone without a specific goal is wrong, but if the air and the armor are already being destroyed by U.S. and NATO forces, then the next logical step in a modern day campaign is to put boots on the ground, or at least arm rebel forces. Although, arming rebel forces has had mixed results. Osama Bin Laden and the Mujahideen was armed and trained by the CIA to fight the Russians and look how well that played out in the long run.
The CIA has already inserted teams to assess the capabilities of the rebel forces and the capabilities of Gaddafi’s army. The no-fly zone will save the rebels from air assault but at the same time allow them to get chopped up by ground forces who are better trained and better equipped. If America is going to begin an open-ended regime changing war with another Muslim nation, then we should at least do it correctly-if there is even a correct way to start a war.
The Politick is a political op-ed column. Look for it every other Wednesday.
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